Welcoming Mr. Dipesh Pandya

Floor Speech

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Mr. FITZPATRICK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize our guest chaplain for today, Dipesh Pandya, along with members of the BAPS mandirs in our district in Pennsylvania.

They are here with hundreds of prominent Indian Americans who are also members of the BAPS organization, a Hindu faith that holds services in 32 States across 91 congressional districts.

They are here with us today to celebrate Diwali, the festival of lights, a festival celebrated by over 2 million Indian Americans across the United States. This 5-day celebration signifies the triumph of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, and hope over despair.

Diwali reminds us that there is joy in serving God, serving our country, serving our community, and our fellow citizens, particularly during times of calamity and despair. Traditionally, rows of divas, or candles, were used to illuminate and dispel darkness.

Today we are reminded that we must work together, united and in friendship, to serve this great Nation and the communities in which we live.

Indeed, the BAPS community throughout the United States continuously strives to serve society through various charitable and humanitarian activities, ranging from food drives to disaster relief efforts, including the planting of trees.

On behalf of my fellow Members of Congress, I am proud to recognize and welcome the BAPS members who have traveled here to Washington from across the country.

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